Schedule III - Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Asheville Nc [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Carrollton Ga [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Las Cruces Nm [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Milledgeville Ga [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Abilene Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Ellensburg Wa [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Greeley Co [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Mobile One And Two [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Nacogdoches Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Cheney Wa [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Lubbock Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Stephenville Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Troy Al [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Waco Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Murfreesboro Tn [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At San Marcos Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Moscow Id [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Huntsville Tx [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Statesboro Ga [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Clarksville Tn [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Ames Ia [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Fort Wayne In [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Columbia Mo [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Valdosta Ga [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Auburn Ai [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Flagstaff Az [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Nacogdoches Tx Phase Two [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Orono Me [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Toledo [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Fort Collins Co [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Muncie In [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Pullman Wa [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 The Grove At Flagstaff Two [Member]
SEC Schedule III, Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation [Line Items]
Initial Cost	$ 691,365					$ 12,604		$ 13,294		$ 16,025		$ 14,543		$ 16,962		$ 20,827		$ 19,971		$ 33,094		$ 18,604		$ 18,788		$ 18,229		$ 17,100		$ 18,248		$ 17,566		$ 19,994		$ 24,126		$ 25,731		$ 23,444		$ 25,349		$ 21,805		$ 22,834		$ 18,889		$ 24,551		$ 29,381		$ 26,267		$ 34,125		$ 7,718		$ 28,499		$ 11,564	[1]	$ 35,496		$ 24,708		$ 15,622	[2]	$ 15,407
Costs Capitalized Subsequent to Development or Acquisition	24,920					708		1,092		5,522		1,250		619		430		1,279		957		1,253		320		453		321		635		589		585		399		143		249		255		338		278		161		136		253		147		2,991		94		870		2,705	[1]	(67)		(22)		(20)	[2]	(3)
Land	57,821					51		1,104		1,098		942		1,361		1,483		1,454		150	[3]	1,188		1,347		1,520		1,250		1,433		1,094		2,678		1,791		1,839		2,157		1,621		1,296		1,919		844		3,611		1,562		4,423		6,970		401		1,373		2,237	[1]	75	[3]	2,458		1,842	[2]	3,249
Student Housing Properties	658,464					13,261		13,282		20,449		14,851		16,220		19,774		19,796		33,901		18,669		17,761		17,162		16,171		17,450		17,061		17,901		22,734		24,035		21,536		23,983		20,847		21,193		18,206		21,076		28,072		21,991		30,146		7,411		27,996		12,032	[1]	35,354		22,228		13,760	[2]	12,155
Total	716,285	[4]				13,312	[4]	14,386	[4]	21,547	[4]	15,793	[4]	17,581	[4]	21,257	[4]	21,250	[4]	34,051	[4]	19,857	[4]	19,108	[4]	18,682	[4]	17,421	[4]	18,883	[4]	18,155	[4]	20,579	[4]	24,525	[4]	25,874	[4]	23,693	[4]	25,604	[4]	22,143	[4]	23,112	[4]	19,050	[4]	24,687	[4]	29,634	[4]	26,414	[4]	37,116	[4]	7,812	[4]	29,369	[4]	14,269	[1],[4]	35,429	[4]	24,686	[4]	15,602	[2],[4]	15,404	[4]
Accumulated depreciation	(102,356)		(97,820)	(76,164)	(57,463)	(4,904)		(4,814)		(5,215)		(5,284)		(5,437)		(5,814)		(5,335)		(9,686)		(5,527)		(4,925)		(4,908)		(4,888)		(5,101)		(5,028)		(4,166)		(2,769)		(1,128)		(1,484)		(1,640)		(1,800)		(1,849)		(1,663)		(1,873)		(1,414)		(1,142)		(1,372)		(355)		(1,217)		(728)	[1]	(394)		(281)		(118)	[2]	(97)
Encumbrances	$ (205,531)					$ (14,500)		$ (14,288)		$ (14,764)		$ (15,847)			[5]	$ (16,070)		$ (15,193)			[5]	$ (17,100)			[5]		[5]		[5]		[5]		[5]		[5]		[5]		[5]		[5]	$ (18,101)		$ (16,350)			[5]		[5]	$ (23,180)			[5]		[5]		[5]	$ 0			[5]		[1],[5]	$ (17,228)		$ (12,237)		$ (10,673)	[2]		[5]
Year Constructed						2005		2006		2006		2006		2007		2007		2007		2007		2007		2008		2008		2008		2008		2008		2009		2009		2009		2010		2010		2011		2011		2011		2011		2011		2012		2012		2012		2012		2013		2013		2013		2013		2013
Year Placed into Service or Acquired						2005		2006		2006		2006		2007		2007		2007		2007		2007		2008		2008		2008		2008		2008		2009		2009		2012		2011		2011		2011		2011		2011		2011		2012		2012		2012		2012		2012		2013		2013		2013		2013		2013

[1] Property is under re-development. See Note 5 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

[2] At December 31, 2013, The Grove at Pullman, Washington, was partially operational due to the occurrence of a July 2013 fire at the property while it was under construction. See Note 5 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

[3] Property encumbered by a ground lease.

[4] Depreciable lives range from 2-40 years.

[5] Property is collateral for our Amended Credit Facility.